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“It is encouraging to see a fall in the number of UK households with no adults in employment in Q2 compared to last year. As the UK labour market becomes tighter, getting more people back into work is vital to support growing demands from employers.

“Outer London, whose share of UK workless households is the lowest, also experienced the sharpest fall. Yorkshire and the Humber saw the second largest drop, but the region’s share of workless households remains among the highest at 12%. East of England, Inner London and the North West saw the largest rise in workless households since the EU referendum. This is particularly disappointing for the North West, as the proportion of workless households is relatively high in the region.

“As the UK prepares to leave the EU, bringing workless households back into the labour force could help alleviate staff shortages in some sectors and regions. The challenge for local government and businesses is to reach out to adults in workless households and provide them with the training and support they need to fill regional vacancies. As fewer EU nationals are expected to take on jobs in the UK, it becomes more important to explore alternative options, including technology, training and retention strategies, as well as incorporating a larger share of the UK population into the labour market.”

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